By Gary Pearson, BetMGM
If you look up the definition of perennial, you might see these five teams as case studies.
Not only do they have the shortest Stanley Cup odds, but they’ve also either won the Cup or have been knocking on the door in recent seasons.
And probabilities suggest one of them will be lifting the Holy Grail come season's end.
Colorado Avalanche (+250)
The Colorado Avalanche are the best team in hockey, and it’s not particularly close at this early juncture. With just one regulation loss, Jared Bednar's squad is the class of the league.
Their plus-31 goals differential is 15 better than second-place Carolina. Nathan MacKinnon, the MVP front-runner, is accumulating points faster than a toddler collects toys, and Cale Makar is as dominant as ever.
I don’t think either Central Division rival, the Winnipeg Jets or Dallas Stars, pose a disconcerting threat.
The looming question is whether the tandem of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood can hold up their end of the bargain when it counts.
Carolina Hurricanes (+360)
If at first you don’t succeed… well, you know the rest. No phrase better encapsulates the Carolina Hurricanes, which were tripped up at the Eastern Conference final in two of the previous three seasons.
And we all know who did the tripping — those pesky Florida Panthers. As has become customary, the Hurricanes are among the NHL’s best at the quarter mark of the season.
They arguably have the most well-rounded unit, and the callouses they’ve built from previous playoff heartbreak should help them secure the Prince of Wales Trophy for the first time since they won the Stanley Cup in 2006.
Their path to the promised land, however, could come down to whether they can exorcize their Panthers’ demons.
Florida Panthers (+375)
Even without captain Aleksander Barkov, the defending back-to-back champions have the depth, experience and pedigree to return to the Stanley Cup final four a fourth successive season.
The Panthers have repeatedly proven that they’re the class of the Eastern Conference, especially when it matters most. As long as they make the playoffs, I don’t think their seeding matters.
Paul Maurice’s collective is built for the post-season, and there is no other team I trust more to do the business when the chips are down. Attrition and Barkov’s absence might be the only factors preventing them from capturing the elusive three-peat.
Which State Or Province Will Produce The NHL's 2026 Stanley Cup Champ?Will the state of Florida host a Stanley Cup champion yet again this season?Vegas Golden Knights (+400)
Some immediate concerns have surfaced in Sin City. The good news is that time is on the side of Bruce Cassidy and the collective. Mark Stone needs to return to full health, and Vegas must find an answer between the pipes.
We’ll see whether Carter Hart can stop the bleeding while they await Adin Hill’s return. But akin to the Panthers, these Golden Knights are built to succeed in the playoffs, with the addition of Mitch Marner reinforcing that notion.
Edmonton Oilers (+450)
There are a few guarantees in life: the sun rises in the east, the Toronto Maple Leafs won’t make the Stanley Cup final, and the Edmonton Oilers will come good in the nick of time.
As long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are healthy, Edmonton will be among the front-runners to secure a third straight Stanley Cup final berth.